Thursday, January 30, 2014

01302014 Thursday Getting Sewing Machine Ready

Woke earlier than usual and walked to the bank - then back again.  1.6 miles I think it was in 35 minutes.  Then had yogurt and little cereal and banana and organized the fabric for the block for Building Blocks Quilt into plastic bags - made a list of fabric still needing to cut.

Then did the final cut from the strips to get the squares - and sewed the blocks.

I taped the design on the window to mark the design and could only see thru the white fabric. Read someone's idea for marking and will try that tomorrow.
http://threadedmoose.blogspot.com/2013/03/redneck-light-box.html

Today in the blogs there were two that were discussing their new sewing room areas - what dreams! What a joke my sewing area set up is...
  1. Christa's Quilts - http://christaquiltsblog.com/2014/01/31/sew-and-tell-mqg-feature-and-sewing-room-reveal/
  2. Diary of a Quilter - http://www.diaryofaquilter.com/2014/01/pretty-new-sewing-space.html

Oh well.  I am able to sew in the room and store fabric there. Have to go to other rooms to press or to cut.  Right now I don't have a spot to baste so that will influence how I do my quilting until have that settled.

I met He for dinner and the Corner Bakery - had half a chicken sandwich.  So today was finally a fast day for the 5:2 diet!


Wednesday, January 29, 2014

01292014 Wednesday DS and the Blues

Woke and reread the draft of the email I worked on last night - decided not to send it yet.

Read emails and responded to other things, was going to install the printer ink when DS called. He was ready for lunch. Said he thought he had confirmed yesterday. Decided we'd meet at 4.0 Deli - so he could walk there and I could get changed.

Arrived at the same time he did, met him and split a large Big Apple sandwich. It's the best still. Chatted a little. He made it clear that I am not to suggest anything about his car... and it seems anything else. He was not rude or mean, just let me know he didn't need anyone making any suggestions to him. I tried to make it clear that I was just thinking of things to do. I remember fondly how nice it was when my dad cleaned my car for me and filled it before a trip, but DS will have no similar memories as he won't let me. I was successful one time and he needed to be there to do the cleaning out as I didn't know what could be trashed or not. Well, I have that memory stored away as a nice thing.

He came with me and I parking in parking structure. We walked together to campus. He left off at the library I went on to administration and then to DH's department to find out where the new human resources office is. Got the info went there. Spoke to a benefits lady who told me since I was not the employee I could not fill out any forms. She was curious though and looked up DH and said son has insurance until April 1st so I must have misread the letter.

So went home to find the letter. Looked thru papers with disgust at how much I leave to do until absolutely necessary - and overwhelmed with how much I need to do.

DH came home and didn't want to hold my hand so I went downstairs and heated the food that I had purchased for our son but he didn't come over. I left to get peas then returned to make salad and to do the plating up.

I know one is supposed to be the kind of person you want to be, and to treat others as you would like to be treated. It hit be while chatting with son though how I have a friend who moved to another state that a while after she left started to call me. It was like every 6 or 8 months. I was always surprised. Had nice chats then that was all. After what must have been a few years I thought I'd better call her back a few times since she was being nice to try to keep up the friendship. I discovered that I could remember things she was doing and could do follow up questions and give input, etc. I was finally really being a good friend. It took my responsiveness for the friendship to really take off under the new circumstances (phone). Now we chat at least once a week on all sorts of topics. Politics, people, movies, books, food, classes. She knows all about the org down to knowing the names of the people on the board. She is better about those things, but as time passes I am getting better.

So when I try to act the way I want people to act it is inconsistent as I am the only person to whom this is important. The others are so busy with work that they don't need or care about the things I do. And that is why sometimes I feel lost and alone and blue.

I don't know how to change this, but I can really try to stick with the things I can control. Myself and my actions.

Tonight though I feel like a sucker and alone so that is what I am.

There was a question on one of the quilting boards that I finally responded by describing the large block quilt I was making for my husband last year. It was nice to remember how good I felt when the design came together. Maybe I should finish that.

The student who worked with my mom emailed and said he had time on the weekends to work with her so I told him to go ahead and start. That will be wonderful for her.  I had given him a reference for a job he now has and he wrote to thank me for that too.

01282014 Tuesday Real out and About

After having yogurt and granola, got my list out and started to get organized.

I ended up crossing a lot of things off the old 'to do' list.
  1. Ordered supplies for my mom to pick up at the store.
  2. Packed up the sewing supplies I wanted to send to my friend.
  3. Walmart emailed they were out of some of the supplies so I tried to cancel that order and instead did a new order to have things mailed here.
  4. Went to bank and had the address on file for the organization changed to the new treasurer.
  5. Went to post office and mailed the package.
  6. Had lunch out - to Panda express but still went out.  Had the child's portion of chicken and vegetables.  Price includes drink so it's a real deal.
  7. Walked to mom's to visit with her, she was okay.  Had to ask staff to cut her nails...
  8. Walked a little around that neighborhood before heading to Trader Joe's.
  9. Got granola, some prepared meals for the freezer.
  10. Put in car, then walked to Walmart.
  11. Cancelled the pick up order (still have to wait up to 3 statements to get my refund so their pick up system stinks).
  12. Got printer toner.
  13. Walked back to car, then on to Costco.
  14. Got paper towels and some apples.  Got meatloaf and mashed potatoes as I think DS is coming over tomorrow.  They still do not have the turkey chili that we like.
  15. Then on to Windmill Farms.
  16. Got some seafood salads and stuff to make chicken curry.
So that was pretty good. Not enough steps but delightful to be healthy enough to do it!

I spend the evening though composing an email that I didn't send to the organization - I need to get out of that and thought I was but was received an email....


01272014 Monday Switch to a Cold

I stayed home on Monday.

Felt like I was getting a cold but felt better than earlier when I was all achey.

Just wasted the day but trying to get better....

Monday, January 27, 2014

01262014 Sunday What a Difference a Week Makes

Well last Sunday was all about the farmer's markets and walking around.  Today was the first day since Wednesday that I walked more than to take the trash out!  It has been a strange week - being achy and in a bed.  But I did feel even better today.  DH on the other side is either at his peak of the illness or he has more to go.  Hard to tell with him - he clams up even more when he doesn't feel well but is always a hard read.  And that's sad I know.

I kept myself busy by watching TV and reading blogs today.  In the afternoon I decided to walk to the store to get some fresh nan and hummus, licorice tea, and stuffed salmon for dinner.  It was a nice walk - at the beginning I met a neighbor from around the corner who was planting flowers in front of her house.  She seemed nice enough, but then told me how police had come to hang cuff her and take her to jail as she was in an accident and left the scene.  It all didn't make sense.  She said she had been approaching intersection and a stack of books on the passenger seat were starting to fall off. She leaned forward and looked down to stop them or pick them up I'm not sure.  When she lifted her head saw she was going to hit the car in front of her.  Exchanged information with the lady and returned home.  There must be something missing as I can't imagine being hauled off just for that!  So she won't be my new BFF.  The walk was nice, I was glad I went.  I also got a half gallon of OJ, a quarter watermelon and a cucumber - it was easy to carry back in the backpack and I put the watermelon in my yellow bag that I got with C in NYC last year.

I think I can report that I've lost a little weight!

Oatmeal with mango and brown sugar, milk
Coffee
Sugar-free lemonade
1/2 piece of nan with hummus
stuffed salmon and peas
and that it is for today!


01252014 Saturday Serious Cutting of Fabric

Today I got dressed and came downstairs and I cut more of the focus fabric for the building blocks quilt.  I still don't think it will be a very pretty quilt, so am glad I stuck with my plan to use up fabrics I didn't love.  I selected three fabrics with the same quality in design and tone (little flowers mostly tone on tone - lilac, peach, and turquoise.  They will stand out I think with the white background.

I made a bunch of meals for sick DH who stayed up in bed.

Oatmeal with mango
Rice pudding cup (only for him)
Salad with lean cuisin topping (split with him)
Quiche with refried beans and salsa
Coffee cake (only for him)

I got tired when I was cleaning the kitchen but did that to earn the fabric cutting time!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Scraps - a Christa's Quilt Blog Drawing

I subscribe to Christa's Quilt Blog and enjoy learning from her posts.  She has some wonderful drawings too.

This one is excellent:

http://christaquiltsblog.com/2014/01/23/christas-year-of-weekly-giveways-42-my-pile-o-scraps/

01232014 Thursday Mainly in bed

Still have slight temp, coughing, aching.

Stayed in bed most of the day.  Got the computer around 4pm to get caught up with emails and posts so feeling better.

It's scary to be ill.  Never know how long it will last or what is being damaged by being ill.

DH has been very nice, bringing me food and liquids.

Cantaloupe is delicious when ill.

DS texted he was still ill but had to attend classes as it's first week for that.

01222014 Wednesday Letting Go

Wasn't feeling great this am - told DH I was going to take it easy.

But I thought DS might come over and before we had mentioned quiche...  So I made a quiche and cleaned the kitchen floor.  Heated the lima bean soup too - haven't eaten any just reheating so it will get thicker.

Then I had to crash to the bed.

Aching, coughing so much got a headache.

DS brought beans home to have with the quiche, but I didn't have any.

Resting to get better.

01212014 Tuesday Junk Food


I do not know why I kept eating today, but I did.  Can't even remember everything I ate!  Cottage cheese with strawberries, English muffin honey and butter, burrito, coffee cake and on and on.

I sort of had a sore throat, but the food didn't help.

I decided to go ahead and just use up my scraps for the Building Blocks quilt - will use the strips for the outer binding but will use the flowers for the focus fabric for everything else.


01202014 Monday Orange County with DS

Woke up this am determined to go to OC.  Was thinking I'd have hair cut, go to fabric store, have meal at Knott's.  When I was having coffee with DH though I decided to text DS to let him know I was going - and surprise - he said he was ready to come along!

So the day was different and much nicer than what I thought it might be...

Met him on the street walking to where we were going to meet.  We took the 15 to the 5 and then to North Woods.  We both got different sandwiches than usual (he got steak and I got french dip) but we got both salads and root beer - it was nice.  Time to chat and relax.

Then we went to the fabric store - but I had misremembered how huge it is and how overwhelmed I was last time - so we left without buying anything.

Then to Knott's for jam and coffee cake.  (It wasn't lined with coconut as I remembered but still was good).

Got him back 30 minutes late, but he texted ahead so she would know.

Very nice day.  We did it all in 5 1/2 hours I think!

Sunday, January 19, 2014

01192014 Sunday Hillcrest Farmer's Market

Today we watched some TV in bed before leaving for the Hillcrest Farmer's Market.  It was really easy to find free parking for all day, but the event was not as large nor as complete as the Little Italy Market.  It was more of a swap meet kind of thing with people selling clothes, sheets and candles - as well as prepared food and farmer's offerings.  We bought beans and kale as we walked up and down.  DH was disappointed that the hot dogs were not cooked on a grill so we didn't eat there.  Afterwards we went to Great Maple for lunch.  Delicious food.  I had polenta and shrimp, DH had scrambled eggs with fried oysters, bacon and mushrooms.  Both good, I liked mine better though.  Funny how that happens.  The bloody mary was nice, but reminded me how wonderful it is at Hash House a Go Go.  They served it with a slice of bacon, tomato slices, lettuce, piece of white bread (or maybe it's toasted) and a little packet of mayo.  Super wonderful.  But Great Maple was nice - someplace to bring out of town guests nice..!

We went to Costco again for a remote - then home where I pretty much did nothing.  I even went to sleep for a few hours, but woke to watch Downton Abbey.  But Ci called so we put that on hold while I caught up with her.  Before she called I was having trouble remembering all the characters anyway.

Tomorrow is the day DS had said we would go to OC together.  He has said for for a few weeks for different days but the days just pass by without anything happening.  I'm thinking I will go by myself, but it might be that I get too sad to enjoy myself so I don't know what I will do tomorrow.

Beginner BabySteps: Day 19

Morning Routine

  • Make your bed
  • Get up and get dressed to lace-up shoes; fixing your hair and face
  • Look at your posted reminders in the kitchen and bathroom
  • Read your FlyLady emails
  • Recognize the negative voices and change them. Remember, you are FLYing now!
  • Put out your Hot Spots for two minutes
  • Five-minute Room Rescue (pick any room in the house). Set your timer and go!
  • Spend 15 Minutes decluttering each day. You can’t organize clutter!

Before-Bed Routine

  • Keep your sink shining
  • Lay out your clothes for tomorrow
  • Put out your Hot Spot. It will make you happy in the morning!
  • Go to bed at your bedtime
Here is another inspirational testimonial that is the first page of FlyLady’s book, Sink Reflections. Your home can be this, too. You are taking the BabySteps to get you there.

May all our homes be our own private Bed and Breakfast!

01182014: Saturday Little Italy with DH

Today could have been awful, but it was nice.

So many times in the past DH has said he had to work and we haven't done much together.  But today I guess he needed a break so we actually did go out and spend the day together.

We went to Little Italy to the Farmer's Market.  He doesn't go there often so he bypassed my suggestions on where to park so he had to keep going back to put money in the meter - but it was a start.  The Farmer's Market is larger than what it was before, lots of fun to see things.  Jo was there for her Italian lesson so she met up with us - we got the wonderful balsamic vinegar that she had the other day at her place then went to lunch.  It wasn't a  delicious lunch but was nice.

She had to leave then so DH and I walked a little more - then had to fill the parking meter again, so just left.  To sort of extend the day then we went to Costco and shopped around a bit.

Once home we seemed to eat a lot of unhealthy things (ice cream with new carmel sauce from Little Italy), yogurt and granola, soup and english muffin.

I felt like I was getting a cold so went to store and got sudafed - and a piece of cake that I had half of when we returned.

It was nice, normal together with family day.  I hope we will start to do this more.  We talked about going to the Hillcrest Farmer's Market on Sunday!

Beginner BabySteps: Day 18

Morning Routine

  • Make your bed
  • Get up and get dressed to lace-up shoes; fixing your hair and face
  • Look at your posted reminders in the kitchen and bathroom
  • Read your FlyLady emails
  • Recognize the negative voices and change them. Remember, you are FLYing now!
  • Put out your Hot Spots for two minutes
  • Five-minute Room Rescue (pick any room in the house). Set your timer and go!
  • Spend 15 Minutes decluttering each day. You can’t organize clutter!

Before-Bed Routine

  • Keep your sink shining
  • Lay out your clothes for tomorrow
  • Put out your Hot Spot. It will make you happy in the morning!
  • Go to bed at your bedtime (new habit from Day 17)
Did you know that we have Eleven Commandments? Read them today. You may want to print these out or write them in your Control Journal.

01172014: Friday Green and Corner Bakery

Yesterday was a good example of a way to spend a day.  Today was too.

I woke and straightened up a bit, then went to La Jolla for my second-ever bone density evaluation and then a mammogram.  I'm just getting started in the Scripps system so it's all new.  I have to add contacting the previous doctors to my list of things to do, so they can send my records to the new doctor.  I haven't committed in my mind yet to the new doctor but she will need to make decisions I guess.  That would be the reason to stay with the doctor my mom has been going to...  I wonder if I can get her and dad's records someone put in my chart too? They always ask about their health history and my knowledge is pretty weak.

It was nice to be in Torrey Pines area again.  I have good memories of going to the healthy heart program - too bad at the end things did not end so I stopped driving up there.  They were very 'their program' centered, but should have including information and help to help folks replicate in their own neighborhoods, but I was entitled to continue to attend other classes for a long time after that as I didn't go to two of the classes while I was enrolled. Oh well.  I'm not sure if I would return to that place for classes or not.  Was hoping really to do the same kind of thing while in Cambridge but wasn't able to fit that in, there wasn't enough time to commit to anything.

Someone was substituting for the regular bone evaluator so they didn't take me in until 25 minutes after my appointment was supposed to have started.  The lady was nice though as as the machine was working she had things to share. I didn't know there had been new studies and things they could do to stop bone loss. So it's good to get back into the system again.

The mammogram center was nicer than the previous two I'd been too. No room to get changed in and wait for technician - I was brought to the exam room, she left, I changed and staying in the same room the exam was done.  Neither office gave me any results though - previously I received results so that was a little off putting - but I was told I could fill out forms to get results myself.  I will do that at the new doctor's office though once I have all the lab results in, etc.

I then went to the cafeteria at the hospital as I remembered it as being very nice.  And it still is.  They had a wonderful DIY salad bar.  I got some lettuce, beans chicken salad and a large ice tea - all for $4.60!  Great deal and very nice to eat and look out over the golf course.

After I left I went on Carmel Mountain Road to Black Mountain Road and the shopping center by He's - I had about an hour before I supposed to meet her so I went to grocery store and walked around.  It is huge - but the selection isn't as impressive as other places in the end.  Better than sitting down for an hour though.

At He's we made a salad together and ate - it was nice.  Then her other friend came by and the anti-Obama and pro-Republican talk started.  She blamed Obama that her company years ago started cutting back on the health insurance offerings and that she had to switch from UCSD to Sharp.  Her friend hates intuit, Scripps, and George Cloney.  I mostly kept my mouth shut.  I have so few friends that seems that's a better choice to do.  But I need to say something to see if she will stop jammering on about politics so much.  All this party line stuff - wrong...

We went to the base to see Saving Mr Banks - I didn't like it, He did but we didn't chat that much about the movie.  The two of them were going to go to Restaurant Week so I listened then chat about that got my cranberries that I had left in her house and left for home.

Flylady - I didn't declutter today but did other things.

Beginner BabySteps: Day 17

Morning Routine

  • Make your bed
  • Get up and get dressed to lace-up shoes; fixing your hair and face
  • Look at your posted reminders in the kitchen and bathroom
  • Read your FlyLady emails
  • Recognize the negative voices and change them. Remember, you are FLYing now!
  • Put out your Hot Spots for two minutes
  • Five-minute Room Rescue (pick any room in the house). Set your timer and go!
  • Spend 15 Minutes decluttering each day. You can’t organize clutter!

Before-Bed Routine

  • Keep your sink shining
  • Lay out your clothes for tomorrow
  • Put out your Hot Spot. It will make you happy in the morning!
Today, think about what time you are going to bed each night. Set a specific bed time and stick to it. You need your rest. Put this on your Before-Bed Routine.

(I've started a new WORD file with a page for January 2014 tasks, so I think instead of putting here I will put those things there.)

01162014 Thursday Walking and Meals

Today I did some straightening, then went to Pt Loma to meet Jo for some walking and to have lunch.  I haven't walked around Liberty Station for a while, it was nice to get out, to chat with her, and to see new places in Liberty Station.  We barely walked 3 miles though...  Lunch at Tender Greens was very nice - I just got one of the predesigned salads with chicken and gobbled it all down while Jo chatted.

After she left I went back to Trader Joe's and got three cases of wine for him - $90 well spent I'm sure!

Time then to leave to meet He at Corner Bakery for a light dinner and more chatting.  I wasn't extremely hungry as I hadn't done that much - she wanted to meet at 5:30 so it was an early dinner for me.  But it was nice.  We sat outside.

That was pretty much my day. I didn't declutter but did the other things.  Instead of having my January tasks in two places, I am only going to put in my WORD Control Journal...

Beginner BabySteps: Day 16

Morning Routine

  • Make your bed (new habit from Day 15)
  • Get up and get dressed to lace-up shoes; fixing your hair and face
  • Look at your posted reminders in the kitchen and bathroom
  • Read your emails
  • Recognize the negative voices and change them. Remember, you are FLYing now!
  • Put out your Hot Spots for two minutes
  • Five-minute Room Rescue (pick any room in the house). Set your timer and go!
  • Spend 15 Minutes decluttering each day. You can’t organize clutter!

Before-Bed Routine

  • Keep your sink shining
  • Lay out your clothes for tomorrow
  • Put out your Hot Spot. It will make you happy in the morning!
Today, look in your inbox for an e-mail from FlyLady. It can be a Morning Musing, a testimonial, or an essay. Just take a few minutes and read over it. You never know what she is going to discuss.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

01152014: Wednesday Weeding and Whining

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Today I had to spend time to get the org off my list of things to do.  When will it end? I'm not sure.  I know the previous people I worked with did not help out at all the way I had hoped, so I hope I will be off the list to ask things of soon.

I don't know what fabric to use for featured fabric for the project so I'm at standstill for that.  My notes say the blocks I'm missing along with thread were stacked before we left for Boston but I just can't remember where they are stacked!  I may want to use the thread, and i know I want to a baby quilt with the animal blocks.  Oh well.

Weeded outside for at least 15 minutes. The ground was dry so some of the weeds I just cut off at the ground line.

Did emails and reading and watching TV.  Cleaned kitchen.  Washed some blue fabric for building blocks.

I'm not eating mindfully and not exercising.  Not really accomplishing much.  I'm not sure what the deal is...
  1. Daily Photo - nope
  2. Daily Food - oatmeal/banana/PB, english muffin with butter/marmalade, frozen burrito, tapioca, salad, granola/milk
  3. Exercise -nope
  4. Sewing: Building Blocks,  RSC14 (Jan Blue) - nope
  5. Flylady: Beginning Baby Steps - Day 1: Clean Your Sink - Day 2: Lace Up Shoes - Day 3: Start exploring The FlyLady website. Be sure to read the Launch Pad section. This is where you will find the Daily Flight Plan Read flylady emails - Day 4: Your next thing is to write these things down on a sticky note and post them on your bathroom mirror and above your kitchen sink. This is the beginning of your Control Journal. The little notes help us to remember the habits we are trying to establish. Day 5: Recognizing the negative voices when you hear them and changing the words to be nice to you. That is what FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) is all about. - Day 6: Spend 2 minutes working on a hot spot. - Day 7: Pick out clothes for next day - put them out! - Day 8: Today, go find an old three-ring binder and just put some looseleaf paper in it. Then, at the top of one page, write Morning Routine, and on the top of another page, write Before-Bed Routine in pencil. - Day 9: Today we are going to learn how to declutter our homes a few minutes at a time with some fun tools that you might have been wondering about from the reminders you have been reading in our e-mails. Making it fun will get the job done! Read the Decluttering FLYing Lesson!  Today, add a five-minute room rescue to your Morning Routine.  - Day 10: set your timer for 15 minutes and go gather up all the trash you can find to throw away and put it in the garbage can outside. Then set your timer for another 15 minutes and sit down and put your feet up and read a favorite magazine until the timer goes off.  Day 11- add another page to our Control Journals. We are going to call this our “Inspirational Page.” On this page, I want you to spend 15 minutes writing down some of your favorite inspirational phrases. - 12 - Delete Flylady emails, do not keep in your inbox! - Day 13 - find one of our missions and go and do it. They are fast and easy! This is going to introduce you to how we break our home into zones so that we never have to spring clean again. You can find the missions at your launch pad. - Day 14 - Today, go read the essay about using a calendar. Most of us are calendar challenged, and this essay is a way of making it so easy for us to understand. Day 15 - Add making bed to morning routine.
  1. Family - nope
  2. Others - nope
  3. Paperwork -
  4. Vitamins AM
  5. January Tasks: 
  • Decide on fabric for the backing and thread - and prep the fabric to cut the strips,
  • QG to QB,
  • emails, mint categorize, reports to TP and google,
  • Health Insurance for DS,
  • Papers for familyt,
  • Contact boston dentist,
  • contact friends for catch-up notes
  • Make appt for mammo and bones - for Friday leave noon
  • Lab work
  • Appt doctor
  • Wear Contacts
  • Appt eye doctor
  • Appt teeth cleaning
  • Give Re access and notes on communications
  • Reminders to org for outstanding invoices
  • Meet with new 2nd VP about his position
Thursday -
noon - Jo - at Tender Greens - lunch and walk
5:30pm He - at Corner Bakery

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

01142014 Tuesday Cutting Fabric Finally

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Photo here


Today I finally got the cutting set up and I cut the background fabric for the Building Blocks quilt.  I made a few error in my cutting so stopped to figure things out.  I was listening to TV as I cut, and sat down with the computer to make a spreadsheet to see how to cut the remaining fabric that I had.  In doing that it seemed like we would need more fabric that on the list by L.  I sent her an email but she wrote back that she couldn't understand why I would make such a chart, and that she checked her figures and the amount people were supposed to by was over by about a 1/4 yard and how people on the facebook were posting they were able to do the houses with the left overs from the other cuts.  So I guess I'm wrong - but since we were supposed to cut strips for the houses that seems like they are short on fabric.  I'm still thinking about what fabric to use for the featured fabric, connectors and binding.  I will put what ever is on the front on the back of that particular block so that is settled.  I can't find my thread, nor some of the blocks I worked on for KH and the Friday Block party animal and traditional blocks.  But I did remember the different greys already have a project to be used in so not using for Building Blocks.  I know I will learn alot with this project, but don't think the quilt will be particularly pretty so I don't really want to use my solid fabrics for the featured fabric.  So I've been putting put different fabrics to see how I think they will look.

I cleaned the kitchen and paid the bills.  Tomorrow I will need to go back to org stuff so that is off my plate. Interesting movies while cutting or planning: Transamerica, Time to Kill  are ones I remember the name of.

  1. Daily Photo - nope
  2. Daily Food -granola/yogurt, English Muffin, frozen burrito, lean cuisine pizza (ugh), quesadilla and salsa, birthday cake.
  3. Exercise -nope
  4. Sewing: Building Blocks,  RSC14 (Jan Blue) - nope
  5. Flylady: Beginning Baby Steps - Day 1: Clean Your Sink - Day 2: Lace Up Shoes - Day 3: Start exploring The FlyLady website. Be sure to read the Launch Pad section. This is where you will find the Daily Flight Plan Read flylady emails - Day 4: Your next thing is to write these things down on a sticky note and post them on your bathroom mirror and above your kitchen sink. This is the beginning of your Control Journal. The little notes help us to remember the habits we are trying to establish. Day 5: Recognizing the negative voices when you hear them and changing the words to be nice to you. That is what FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) is all about. - Day 6: Spend 2 minutes working on a hot spot. - Day 7: Pick out clothes for next day - put them out! - Day 8: Today, go find an old three-ring binder and just put some looseleaf paper in it. Then, at the top of one page, write Morning Routine, and on the top of another page, write Before-Bed Routine in pencil. - Day 9: Today we are going to learn how to declutter our homes a few minutes at a time with some fun tools that you might have been wondering about from the reminders you have been reading in our e-mails. Making it fun will get the job done! Read the Decluttering FLYing Lesson!  Today, add a five-minute room rescue to your Morning Routine.  - Day 10: set your timer for 15 minutes and go gather up all the trash you can find to throw away and put it in the garbage can outside. Then set your timer for another 15 minutes and sit down and put your feet up and read a favorite magazine until the timer goes off.  Day 11- add another page to our Control Journals. We are going to call this our “Inspirational Page.” On this page, I want you to spend 15 minutes writing down some of your favorite inspirational phrases. - 12 - Delete Flylady emails, do not keep in your inbox! - Day 13 - find one of our missions and go and do it. They are fast and easy! This is going to introduce you to how we break our home into zones so that we never have to spring clean again. You can find the missions at your launch pad. - Day 14 - Today, go read the essay about using a calendar. Most of us are calendar challenged, and this essay is a way of making it so easy for us to understand.
  1. Family - nope
  2. Others - nope
  3. Paperwork - paid bills
  4. Vitamins AM PM
  5. January Tasks: 
  • Decide on fabric for the backing and thread - and prep the fabric to cut the strips,
  • QG to QB,
  • Org emails, mint categorize, reports to TP and google,
  • Health Insurance for DS,
  • Papers for familyt,
  • Contact boston dentist,
  • contact friends for catch-up notes
  • Make appt for mammo and bones
  • Lab work
  • Appt doctor
  • Wear Contacts
  • Appt eye doctor
  • Appt teeth cleaning
  • Give Reuben access and notes on communications
  • Reminders to org for outstanding invoices
  • Meet with new 2nd VP about his position

Thursday, January 9, 2014

01092014: Thursday Closing a Door to Open Another One

Thursday, January 9, 2014

01092014: The fabric for my Building Blocks projects. Grey and white for the front.  Pastels for the back.
Okay, I've closed the door on the organization by writing a farewell note. I was done doing what I could do with the incomplete information I had. I could have done more if I had been given all the information promised but not delivered.  I've passed all the information with notations on too - saved in google docs so easy to find and search for things.  The other officer figured out how to set up the gmail accounts so I can now change accounts so they are out of my name.  I have a file where I keep all this information, will be good to be able to pass that all on. I do wish I had ended with saying something about how I thought she meant well. I did wish her luck so hopefully that is enough. Maybe I can remember her birthday or something.  I hope the new board will be a good bunch and they will have more meetings, help each other out, and be a team.  The new treasurer is going to push for have the organization pay for board members to receive training and go to conferences, so too bad for me in that way, but that is the way things go. It's better for people who are still teaching to get to go to places, although I really would have liked to go for Google training to really learn how to do things. It's nice to have a project to work on with other people, I'll find something else.

So today I decided on my colors for the building block quilt.  Just white and grey on the front, but big plain blocks of color on the back.  It will be unplanned.  Leah has the pattern set up so we do three or four blocks of the same design each month, but in the final quilt the blocks are sort of scattered on the front.  I hope to work with one back color each month, I may need to rotate back to a color after around 6 months but that will just mean fewer colors on the back.  I think I will use black thread for quilting as I have that.  If I have white I could use that but I will use one color for the entire project.  So now I can finally iron and cut!  But first I have to organize the room more - things have sort of piled up in there...

My friend from Boston texted me today, that was nice.  She is on her way to Florida to visit her mom.  I may still call her to say hi.  I'm really enjoying chatting with my friend in Idaho so it would be nice to that with more folks.  Another friend called tonight to invite me for dinner and a movie tomorrow night so I jumped at that - that is the door that is opening - friends!  Actually even DS texted me today, was a nice note.  And even his girlfriend sent me a coupon for JoAnn's!

Oh and I found my mouth guard last night!  I stepped on it!  We had taken the bed apart to look for it but didn't notice when putting it back that the device was on the floor.  So all is good.
  1. Daily Photo yep
  2. Daily Food cinnamon yogurt and english muffin, salad with orange chicken pears and avocado, english muffin with PB and chocolate.
  3. Exercise nope
  4. Sewing: Building Blocks,  RSC14 (Jan Blue) Only looking no sewing...
  5. Flylady: Beginning Baby Steps - Day 1: Clean Your Sink - Day 2: Lace Up Shoes - Day 3: Start exploring The FlyLady website. Be sure to read the Launch Pad section. This is where you will find the Daily Flight Plan Read flylady emails - Day 4: Your next thing is to write these things down on a sticky note and post them on your bathroom mirror and above your kitchen sink. This is the beginning of your Control Journal. The little notes help us to remember the habits we are trying to establish. Day 5: Recognizing the negative voices when you hear them and changing the words to be nice to you. That is what FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) is all about. - Day 6: Spend 2 minutes working on a hot spot. - Day 7: Pick out clothes for next day - put them out! - Day 8: Today, go find an old three-ring binder and just put some looseleaf paper in it. Then, at the top of one page, write Morning Routine, and on the top of another page, write Before-Bed Routine in pencil. - Day 9: Today we are going to learn how to declutter our homes a few minutes at a time with some fun tools that you might have been wondering about from the reminders you have been reading in our e-mails. Making it fun will get the job done! Read the Decluttering FLYing Lesson!  Today, add a five-minute room rescue to your Morning Routine.
  6. Family - texts with DS
  7. Others - nice chats with friends and text message too!
  8. Paperwork - nope
  9. Vitamins
  10. January Tasks: 
  • Decide on fabric for the backing and thread - and prep the fabric to cut the strips 
  • QG to QB,
  • SD emails, categorize, reports to TP and google,
  • Health Insurance for DS,
  • Papers for familyt,
  • Contact boston dentist,
  • contact friends for catch-up notes
  • Make appt for mammo and bones
  • Lab work
  • Appt doctor
  • Wear ContactsAppt eye doctor
  • Appt teeth cleaning
Tomorrow:
Dinner and the Hobbit with friend!

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

01082014: Wednesday Letting Go

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

So today I really finally felt like I was done with the organization.  After working all last night on the financial report, I sent it to the new person and went to bed around 5am.  Woke though at noon and was ready with a new idea to streamline the report.  The trouble was I was looking at the previous year's whole year summary and trying to align my figures using that as a model, what I was really supposed to do was the event summary.  I was letting myself get distracted by noticing the errors in the previous report, not my responsibility.  So I made a nice one page summary of the event and a one page list of suggestions for changes to the file the other lady made.  I added a sheet to the excel file that I've been using to store information and resent everything to the new lady, with a note asking for feedback and saying I still had ideas to contribute but it was her game now. That she should call if she had questions, or I had forgotten something or she just wanted to bounce ideas, or to call for coffee.  She hasn't answered yet.  I have to move on.  It's for someone else now.  I will find something else to work on; like quilting, friends, reading, and walking!

I felt pretty good today even with the odd sleeping patterns. Also I've misplaced by mouth guard and can't find it.  I have been so tired when I went to bed that I didn't get up the way I usually do to put it in.  Luckily I don't get head aches when I don't wear it but it wrecks my teeth to not  wear it so need to find it or get a replacement.

I'm surprised that it's already Wednesday though, the week has flown by!  Pretty soon I won't have any excuse not to get the things done that I want to get done.
Found on Pinterest.
The webpage link doesn't work though.
  1. Daily Photo - yep
  2. Daily Food: cottage cheese and strawberries, English muffin with marmalade and PB, soup and crackers with hummus, lean cuisine salad with English muffin marmalade and PB, banana and some extra PB.
  3. Exercise - none
  4. Sewing: Building Blocks,  RSC14 (Jan Blue) Nothing done here - still thinking about the back of the quilt.  I was playing with having a different block of color - 12 different ones to go with the different blocks on the front.  Then I thought the colors might clash.  So was thinking off all white back, or white with narrow strips of grey or black (or color) streaking thru it - sort of like the image above - but just one color.  So I have to think more.  I could get going with cutting my white fabric strips though tomorrow.
  5. Flylady: Beginning Baby Steps - Day 1: Clean Your Sink - Day 2: Lace Up Shoes - Day 3: Start exploring The FlyLady website. Be sure to read the Launch Pad section. This is where you will find the Daily Flight Plan Read flylady emails - Day 4: Your next thing is to write these things down on a sticky note and post them on your bathroom mirror and above your kitchen sink. This is the beginning of your Control Journal. The little notes help us to remember the habits we are trying to establish. Day 5: Recognizing the negative voices when you hear them and changing the words to be nice to you. That is what FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) is all about. - Day 6: Spend 2 minutes working on a hot spot. - Day 7: Pick out clothes for next day - put them out! - Day 8: Today, go find an old three-ring binder and just put some loose leaf paper in it. Then, at the top of one page, write Morning Routine, and on the top of another page, write Before-Bed Routine in pencil. 
    Comment:  I don't think I'll really make a physical binder. I think the WORD report option would be a better way for me to go.  I grabbed a binder from my bookshelf though and it was a bunch of stuff from when I was Director of Secondary Curriculum and Online Experiences (I misremembered and thought my title was Director of Curriculum and Technology - it was in 2001. Can't believe it's been 13 years.  That was a well paying job but I can see from the notes the people were not entering in data correctly and then were confused when things did not show up in the WASC report.  I learned from that job, but it was the wrong time for me to work so much.  Our son was just starting high school and I wanted to get to know the teachers and other families.  So I left that job and then jumped into volunteering with the parent associations.   But it's all what you make of it.  I'll be going this book shelves and clearing stuff out too now that I have time....
  6. Family - I thought DS and I were going to OC this week, but maybe it's next week.  Oh well.  I told him I wouldn't bug him about doing it as it's really something I initiated not him.
  7. Others - One of my friends is in PS with her husband.  They are going thru tough times now so I hope they have a good trip.
  8. Paperwork - only for the organization.
  9. Vitamins PM only
  10. January Tasks: 
  • Decide on fabric for the backing and thread - and prep the fabric to cut the strips,
  • QG to QB,
  • org emails, mint categorize, reports to TP and google,
  • Health Insurance for DS,
  • Papers for familyt,
  • Contact boston dentist,
  • contact friends for catch-up notes
  • Make appt for mammo and bones
  • Lab work
  • Appt doctor
  • Wear Contacts
  • Appt eye doctor
  • Appt teeth cleaning
Next day appt -none!

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

01072014: Tuesday Finishing up Organization

Tuesday January 7, 2013

No Photo Today!
  1. Daily Photo
  2. Daily Food: Corn Chowder Soup/carrots/cracker/cheese, Lean Cuisine Salad/pumpkin pie ice cream
  3. Exercise - none
  4. Sewing: Building Blocks,  RSC14 (Jan Blue) nothing
  5. Flylady: Beginning Baby Steps - Day 1: Clean Your Sink - Day 2: Lace Up Shoes - Day 3: Start exploring The FlyLady website. Be sure to read the Launch Pad section. This is where you will find the Daily Flight Plan Read flylady emails - Day 4: Your next thing is to write these things down on a sticky note and post them on your bathroom mirror and above your kitchen sink. This is the beginning of your Control Journal. The little notes help us to remember the habits we are trying to establish. Day 5: Recognizing the negative voices when you hear them and changing the words to be nice to you. That is what FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) is all about. - Day 6: Spend 2 minutes working on a hot spot. - Day 7: Pick out clothes for next day - put them out!
  6. Family
  7. Others
  8. Paperwork - organization
  9. Vitamins AM PM
  10. January Tasks to remember 
  • Decide on fabric for the backing and thread - and prep the fabric to cut the strips,
  • QG to QB,
  • org emails, mint categorize, reports to TP and google,
  • Health Insurance for DS,
  • Papers for familyt and taxes,
  • Contact boston dentist,
  • Contact friends for catch-up notes
  • Make appt for mammo and bones
  • Lab work
  • Appt doctor
  • Wear Contacts
  • Appt eye doctor
  • Appt teeth cleaning
    Today I realized that the board meeting that I'm not attending is Friday and I hadn't done the final work on the financials that I wanted to do.  And DH hadn't set up the emails either, so that is pushed off.  He worked on the emails for a while then finally wrote the new guy with the access info.  I would have worked on it a little more but I discovered that I could add a column to the reconciliation file where I numbered the rows, then it was pretty easy to work on the categories.
    Other than eating though I didn't get up from this chair.  Will be so glad when I can really pass on the organization stuff to the others.


    Next day appt - None

    Monday, January 6, 2014

    01062014: Monday Walmart Pick Up Service

    Monday January 6, 2014


    Next day plans or to do list
    1. Daily Photo - an interesting CD cover and bible cover at Walmart
    2. Daily Food: yogurt/banana/granola, Lean Cuisine Salad English Muffin/PB/Marmalade
    3. Exercise none
    4. Sewing - Building Blocks,  RSC14 (Jan Blue)
    5. Flylady - Beginning Baby Steps - Day 1: Clean Your Sink - Day 2: Lace Up Shoes - Day 3: Start exploring The FlyLady website. Be sure to read the Launch Pad section. This is where you will find the Daily Flight Plan Read flylady emails - Day 4: Your next thing is to write these things down on a sticky note and post them on your bathroom mirror and above your kitchen sink. This is the beginning of your Control Journal. The little notes help us to remember the habits we are trying to establish. Day 5: Recognizing the negative voices when you hear them and changing the words to be nice to you. That is what FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) is all about. - Day 6: Spend 2 minutes working on a hot spot.
    6. Family - visited mom
    7. Others none
    8. Paperwork none
    9. Vitamins AM PM
    10. Tasks: none
      I stayed up too late and ended up sleeping until 12:30!  So by the time I checked emails (spent time composing email to lady from the organization that I didn't send), gathered items to mail to my friend, found more white fabric, decided to wait a bit on the fabric choices for the Building Blocks challenge, etc. - it was almost 5 o'clock!  So I did go to pick up supplies for mom from Walmart and walked around. They have a better selection of cotton fabric than I remembered - and templates and rulers. Fun stuff.  Went to visit mom - she had just finished dinner.  Was surprised when I told her the year and how old I'm about to be!  Mostly just sat together though.  The skin on her arms does not look healthy - not sure what to suggest to be done.  After went to Von's mainly to get milk and salad - but then found a sale for Lean Cuisine food - 5 for $10 no matter what the original price was.  So I looked and got some salad packages.  We had that for dinner - wasn't great but was filling so that counts for something!  I had also gotten some cheese and crackers but we didn't have any tonight.  Tomorrow I will get going on the quilt project and get back to work.  I can't let the organization lady distract me - I've resigned as it wasn't working out to have such poor communications and it's stressful to have her email me and act like nothing was wrong or that I'm still supposed to be doing things.  I'm done. For my hot spot I sort of didn't do what I was supposed to do as it's not all clean now, but I have been organizing my fabric.  So tomorrow I'll need to do a real hot spot - maybe file things on my desk for 20 minutes instead of 2 minutes!

      Walmart pick up service is terrific.  I get an email if they do not have what I requested - and if I plan ahead or am okay with storing something I can have delivered here.

      This week or soon
      Decide on fabric for the backing and thread - and prep the fabric to cut the strips.
      QG to QB, org emails, mint categorize the excel file
      Files to TP
      Contact boston dentist
      Appts for doctor tests - mammo and bone
      J walk day
      A to OC?


      Next day plans or to do list
      1. Daily Photo
      2. Daily Food
      3. Exercise
      4. Sewing - Building Blocks,  RSC14 (Jan Blue)
      5. Flylady - Beginning Baby Steps - Day 1: Clean Your Sink - Day 2: Lace Up Shoes - Day 3: Start exploring The FlyLady website. Be sure to read the Launch Pad section. This is where you will find the Daily Flight Plan Read flylady emails - Day 4: Your next thing is to write these things down on a sticky note and post them on your bathroom mirror and above your kitchen sink. This is the beginning of your Control Journal. The little notes help us to remember the habits we are trying to establish. Day 5: Recognizing the negative voices when you hear them and changing the words to be nice to you. That is what FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) is all about. - Day 6: Spend 2 minutes working on a hot spot.
      6. Family
      7. Others
      8. Paperwork
      9. Vitamins
      10. Tasks: 

      Tomorrow - Monday Jan 6
      Decide on fabric for the backing and thread - and prep the fabric to cut the strips.
      Remember:  QG to QB, org emails, mint categorize
      Contact boston dentist

      Sunday, January 5, 2014

      Tumbler - How to do the straight stitching?

      I have pulled out my tumbler that I basted last year.  Might be I have to unbaste, iron and baste again - but I will try to just go with it.
      Front - Accucut template sewn as leader ender project. Basted with pinmoors and curved pins.
      Back Tumbler basted


      I've been using Pinterest to find tumbler quilts finished the way I like them.  Instead of doing an all over design I would like to echo all the stitching lines.  I'm going to use black and blue thread so the stitching becomes part of the quilt pattern.

      I have been leaving comments on blogs asking the folks for help.

      I don't know if I start in the middle or the edge.

      I don't know if I do all in one direction (the straight seams or the angled ones).

      I don't know if I do an X to divide and do one quarter at a time.

      I want to do the straight stitching for this quilt but can pick another edge to edge design and finish using a LeahDay design too. I would like this quilt finished so I can give it to our friend in Colorado.

      I have been back from Boston since mid-August but only feeling like I have time to get organized to start new projects and finish old ones!

      : )

      I forgot to keep all the URLs for the tumbler I saw.  So many beautiful choices....
      Here are the some of the pages I visited:
      Holiday Dog Tumbler - http://stitchified.com/2013/11/27/wip-wednesdays-holiday-edition/
      Holiday Dog Tumbler Angles at Edge - http://stitchified.com/2013/12/06/tgif-zig-zag-style/
      Small Baby Quilt - http://embabiak.blogspot.com/2012/10/tumbler-quilt-for-baby-g.html
      Tumbler - http://henhousehomemade.blogspot.com/2011/10/pretty-interlude.html
      Tumbler different FMP - https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmPmsHNtKw8Wu-sIlu8QcbAg2k-OSh2iuDj5jye4w14L_yEE3nTWMdXDQLKA5btVfak3o4vNxF0WybzyX70LRQ1PMQ6ZC6HX-bMqG7OlJBGU46pRYauVmpijm6Ude3MH7UTOQ2ane-4Ph/s320/DSC01517+%25281024x813%2529.jpg
      Tumber shows how to press - http://joanne-threadhead.blogspot.com/2011/12/tumbler-quilt.html
      Tumbler -extra strips - https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYypNnhBQgBL8PLmaveG9lZFsBe69UZ55XQ61Hpt3wdrZQ2oCuQeg1mFwDp37G3_U37jcuHVaMOiLDig_3WxAKG97a-vEzmnPIZE5R_70Vxgp3ANoP2BOBe5XyWFN013OL7bzvzwcnvtFI/s1600/DSC03291.JPG
      Tumbler - http://www.modabakeshop.com/2009/09/sweet-baby-quilt.html

      I don't really know how to use Pinterest, but have been collecting some sites there... it's really fun to look for different images...

      YouTube Beginning Quilting Tips


      MATERIAL

      How to Prewash Your Quilting Fabric, Leah Day
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A4Pe60je58

      How to Iron and Starch Your Quilting Fabrics, Leah Day

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwrETCcgMX0



      SUPPLIES

      (4) Supplies Needed for (rotary) Cutting Quilting Fabrics, Leah Day
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oj3WFE0464


      • cutting mat - pick color you do not use very often in fabric
      • rotary cutter
      • rotary blade ruler - optima is brand she uses but in any case suggests using same brand all the time.
      • invisible grip - to help ruler not slip
       
      CUTTING

      How to Cut Fabric with a Rotary Cutter, Leah Day
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybQLai6Mv58


      How to Make a Perfect Cut. Quilt with Aimee!
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Xz2CkKTUY
      • 12.5 square ruler
      • 6 x 12 or 24 inch ruler
      • rotary cutter
      Point trimming, JudyMartinBooks
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDLCt2o3wkc
      Almost a non-example of how to do a demonstration, but she has thought about points to trim...








      BASTING and BATTING

      Quilting Batting and Basting Tips, Leah Day

      1/4 INCH SEAMS 

      Why and How to Sew With a Scant 1/4" Quilt Seam, Marci Baker 
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSCBzwJ1lB4
      Uses tools to buy and uses the fingers each time, seems like it would be tiring to do but still good ideas to consider.  I think using an index card would work too! She puts tape in front of the needle.

      Quilting Tutorials - The Perfect Seam Allowance, JudyMartinBooks
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH9QdMHjnug
      Almost a non-example of how to do a demonstration, Seam allowance test - she has tape only by the needle

      Achieving a 1/4" seam allowance for patchwork - Quilting Tips & Techniques, GourmetQuilter
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdzIMEqAAbc

      How to Use a Quarter Inch (1/4) Foot & Quilting Bar / Guide, Sewing Parts Online
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ct3G0Nh-pw


      Precise Piecing Tips: Precision Pathways Block, McCalls
      HST chain piecing and square in square - uses scraps instead of leader and ender!


       




      01052014: Sunday Nothing Much

       Sunday January 5, 2013

      01052014: Thinking about Building Block Quilt colors - need two colors.  Think I will do grey and white. That will show off the stitching for the project.  I can use a colored thread to add interest to the project.
      1. Daily Photo - yes
      2. Daily Food - yogurt/granola, english muffin PB/marmalade, limabean soup hummus/nan, chickpea stew/apple/crackers, ice cream, cookies
      3. Exercise - nope
      4. Sewing - Building BlocksRSC14 (Jan Blue) - I think I have decided on doing Building Blocks in shades of grey and white - maybe with red thread.  I haven't decided on the backing material yet.
      5. Flylady - Beginning Baby Steps - Day 1: Clean Your Sink - Day 2: Lace Up Shoes - Day 3: Start exploring The FlyLady website. Be sure to read the Launch Pad section. This is where you will find the Daily Flight Plan - Day 4: Your next thing is to write these things down on a sticky note and post them on your bathroom mirror and above your kitchen sink. This is the beginning of your Control Journal. The little notes help us to remember the habits we are trying to establish. - Day 5: Recognizing the negative voices when you hear them and changing the words to be nice to you. That is what FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) is all about. - 
      6. Family
      7. Others - organization emails
      8. Paperwork
      9. Vitamins - AM
      10. Tasks: QG to QB, og emails, mint categorize, health insurance for DS, paper for family
      Didn't do a lot today.  Watched TV, made food, read blogs fiddled with pinterest.  I do not quite understand how to use it, but it is nice to collect images.

      Got fabric out and started measuring.  At first I was thinking blue and brown.  Light colors of different blues that are mainly tone on tone and plain brown.  But I didn't have enough plain browns - the other brown had little dots of a different tone of blue so it wouldn't look right.  So now I'm thinking my precious grays and plain white and some tone on tone white.  I do not know the backing yet or the color of thread.  I do have grey and black thread I think - I will check tomorrow.

      The organization is starting to send emails again. The outgoing lady doesn't realize how her tardiness has cost me so much time and effort we work around her.  I wrote an email to her but she wrote back that it wasn't her fault, etc.  She has made what was a joy and fun so unpleasant, now I just want to get out and away.  She misrepresents things - wrote an email just today about how we had monthly meetings and how agendas usually went out a week in advance - there haven't been enough meetings or emails answered.  But she has only called max of three meetings in a year.  It's a mess.  I can only help behind the scenes I can't keep covering for people not doing what they said they would do.  Just now the guy who was tasked with emailing the folks not elected copied me that he finally notified them. Shameful. I wrote to the group that I would not be attending the meeting and the email for one of the new board members bounced back!  She hadn't even fixed that in the second email she sent out.  Shameful.

      Tomorrow
      Decide on fabric for the backing and thread - and prep the fabric to cut the strips.
      QG to QB, org emails, mint categorize
      Contact boston dentist

      daily 2014 template

      Day, Date

      Photo here

      Appts here
        Next day plans or to do list
        1. Daily Photo
        2. Daily Food
        3. Exercise
        4. Sewing: Building BlocksRSC14 (Jan Blue)


        1. Flylady: Beginning Baby Steps - Day 1: Clean Your Sink - Day 2: Lace Up Shoes - Day 3: Start exploring The FlyLady website. Be sure to read the Launch Pad section. This is where you will find the Daily Flight Plan Read flylady emails - Day 4: Your next thing is to write these things down on a sticky note and post them on your bathroom mirror and above your kitchen sink. This is the beginning of your Control Journal. The little notes help us to remember the habits we are trying to establish. Day 5: Recognizing the negative voices when you hear them and changing the words to be nice to you. That is what FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) is all about. - Day 6: Spend 2 minutes working on a hot spot. - Day 7: Pick out clothes for next day - put them out! - Day 8: Today, go find an old three-ring binder and just put some looseleaf paper in it. Then, at the top of one page, write Morning Routine, and on the top of another page, write Before-Bed Routine in pencil. - Day 9: Today we are going to learn how to declutter our homes a few minutes at a time with some fun tools that you might have been wondering about from the reminders you have been reading in our e-mails. Making it fun will get the job done! Read the Decluttering FLYing Lesson!  Today, add a five-minute room rescue to your Morning Routine.


        1. Family
        2. Others
        3. Paperwork
        4. Vitamins
        5. Tasks: Decide on fabric for the backing and thread - and prep the fabric to cut the strips,QG to QB,
          SD emails, categorize, reports to TP and google,
          Health Insurance for DS,
          Papers for familyt,
          Contact boston dentist,
          contact friends for catch-up notes
          Make appt for mammo and bones
          Lab work
          Appt doctor
          Wear Contacts
          Appt eye doctor
          Appt teeth cleaning
          Notes here

          Next day appt


          Saturday, January 4, 2014

          01042014: Saturday Tree, Wrapping, B

          Saturday, January 4, 2014

          01042014  B curled on on sleeping bag.

          DS was dropping off B so he and friend could enjoy party in Orange County.
          1. Daily Photo - yep
          2. Daily Food - biscuit, yogurt and granola, lima bean soup, chicken salad, ice cream
          3. Exercise - not much walking
          4. Sewing Building Blocks RSC14 (Jan Blue) - only online ordering of supplies
          5. Flylady - Beginning Baby Steps - Day 1: Clean Your Sink - Day 2: Lace Up Shoes - Day 3: Start exploring The FlyLady website. Be sure to read the Launch Pad section. This is where you will find the Daily Flight Plan Read Flylady Emails - Day 4: Your next thing is to write these things down on a sticky note and post them on your bathroom mirror and above your kitchen sink. This is the beginning of your Control Journal. The little notes help us to remember the habits we are trying to establish.
          6. Family - a little chat with DH and DS but mainly just sitting in same room with DS
          7. Others - nice emails with CW and phone chat with TB (he called here)
          8. Paperwork - Nope
          9. VitaminsAM PM
          10. Tasks: QG to QB, org emails, mint categorize
          Took down the Christmas tree ornaments and lights when I woke.  DS arrived as I was doing that in my pj's.  We chatted a little.  He had to wrap box for present for the party they were going to - so I found tape and paper scissors and let him do that while I wound up the lights.  I am still missing the first ornament he made - it's somewhere on the tree branches or perhaps under the tree.

          He wrapped the box so it could be opened again - nice idea - but he had to do as the gift wasn't here.  I gave him some scotch tape and scissors so he could fix if needed or wrap the additional gift he was picking up.

          I started heating the lima bean soup again and added ham, then sat next to Buffy a while then returned to the computer to do more web 'work' looking for YouTubes on beginning quilting tips and deciding what supplies are needed.  Hard to concentrate.

          Took B out two times for short walks - it was a little cold for her. She snuggled under and between sleeping bag and slept most of the day. Every once in a while she would get up to say hi and would go up to B to say hi to him too.  It was nice.

          We had soup for late lunch.  I tried again to find my quilting supplies and blocks but can't remember where I put them.  For dinner I heated some Korean Chicken we had gotten at Costco - I made a salad to put the chicken on.  We ate while watching TV.  Then he went upstairs and I did more web reading.

          B was in the sleeping bag or walked around to say hi.  She sat with me for a while - but decided she liked the sleeping bag more.  It's chilly in this room anyway but I think the stones being removed from the fireplace make it colder (see yesterday's photo).

          A came around 9 - the party was nice.  He was tired though so sat for awhile - he said he had told his friend he was going to hang out a while.  We watched a chatted over Modern Family - then he was really tired so I read and he read and dozed a bit.

          When B woke up I gave her her pill and a little food - then DS was up and doing webwork until his computer died - then he left.  I gave him some veggie lima bean soup, some pasta with sweet potatoes, soyrizo, and the little piece of cheese that I double dipped when I wrapped a bit around B's pill and fed to her so it became B cheese....

          Ordered some supplies for CW to do the Building Blocks quilt and the pattern and got us each batting. It will come later this week.  I wanted to try to the thicker batting but it wasn't available that I could find in twin size.  I didn't want to get much larger as I didn't want left overs.  I already have too many left overs.

          Got some emails about the organization that I stepped down from - the first was treasurer asking me to write her the kind of email that others had written me to get my reimbursement.  What a drag.  I already gave her the print outs of the receipts - I wrote I would do it later.  The secretary wrote to have the new emails set up - but that is something B has to help with and he is busy -and the last was the president to the new and old board announcing the meeting and saying we had monthly meetings, and that everyone had said they would come, except for two.  But we have been asking her for more meetings and they do not happen, and I had written that I would not be attending the first meetings as the new board needed time to get to know each other, and the two people she said had not responded had so I don't know what she was looking at. No matter what I do or do not do it will never be enough - I have resigned so it's too much to keep asking me to go to meetings.  I already lost two weeks in Boston that I will never get back.  I will help the treasurer and the email issue but anything else they will need to wait.

          I'm stressed just thinking about it.

          Oh well.


          Next day plans or to do list
          1. Daily Photo
          2. Daily Food
          3. Exercise
          4. Sewing - Building BlocksRSC14 (Jan Blue)
          5. Flylady - Beginning Baby Steps - Day 1: Clean Your Sink - Day 2: Lace Up Shoes - Day 3: Start exploring The FlyLady website. Be sure to read the Launch Pad section. This is where you will find the Daily Flight Plan - Day 4: Your next thing is to write these things down on a sticky note and post them on your bathroom mirror and above your kitchen sink. This is the beginning of your Control Journal. The little notes help us to remember the habits we are trying to establish.
          6. Family
          7. Others
          8. Paperwork
          9. Vitamins
          10. Tasks: QG to QB, org emails, mint categorize, health insurance for DS, paper for family